Critically acclaimed Assamese feature film Dikchow Banat Palaax, which was released in September last year, has been awarded the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in the 64th National Film Awards.
Produced by Assam Film (Finance & Development) Corporation Ltd and Utpal Kumar Das of Canvascope, Dikchow Banat Palaax was written, scripted and directed by National Award winning filmmaker Sanjib Sabhapandit.
Utpal Das, executive producer of Dikchow Banat Palaax, said, “I am feeling elated at the moment. My heartiest gratitude to the Assam Film Finance Development Corporation for the financial assistance provided to our film. The award is for all the hard work of my director Sanjib Sabhapandit, cinematographer Parasher Baruah, editor Saurabh Dutta, Debajit, Dilip, Chinmoy, Mala and all others including the light boys. My special thanks to veteran actor Kulada Kumar Bhattacharjee for his outstanding performance in this film.”
“Actually, Sanjib and I were planning a love story in the film. Jury saw this film from a different angle, probably because of the Nagaland factor. Anyway, we shall be very happy if this film can help in developing a cordial relation with our Naga brothers and sisters”, he added.
Dikchow Banat Palaax explores the relationship of a freedom fighter and a Naga woman through decades of separation. Set in 1946, the film portrays the journey of a young Assamese man, who is banished from his home district by the British Empire, as he wanders to the Naga Hills. Love blooms and a Naga damsel gave him a few coins for his sustenance. But the love birds get separated, until the protagonist recollects memories of his past in the year 2000, when he decides to revisit the place just to return those coins to the lady.
Canvascope, a film production banner by Utpal Kumar Das, has produced many critically acclaimed feature films like Jaangfaai Joonaak, Jeeyaa Jurir Xubaax and several short films and documentaries. An engineer and real estate businessman, Das is also an art enthusiastic and has promoted several art projects.
